Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto

 Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, Grażyna Bacewicz's Concerto for String Orchestra, and Witold Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra

It's a bright instrumental opening from the orchestra on the first [Bacewic] piece, which is an early indication that I am going to like the tune as a whole. I enjoy this as I assemble the ingredients for my potato hash - another recipe straight from the Joe Wicks playbook. As the music plays on I imagine it underscoring a Joan Crawford film.

A famous piece from Rachmaninov follows, but it's not one I am personally familiar with. To start with, my ears are impaired by the sizzling frying pan, microwave, and air-fryer, all working in trandem. The music itself comes as a suprise to start with, as it is not what I expected from a famous Rachmaninov Though I'm not sure what exactly it was I did expect.
    When the rush of the cooking and eating has subsided, suddenly the music comes to the fore, and I get the feeling I am softly cruising through a Monet painting - colourful trees and lily-padded brooks I see in my mind's eye, all conjured by the musical notes. It's quite a feat, so well done Rachmaninov!

Image: My cooking efforts tonight.

There's an interesting discussion during the interval about 'What is a concerto for orchestra as opposed to a symphony etc. It's a question I'm wondering about too, the answer being that a concerto for orchestra allows all orchestra members a 'chance to shine' with the extremes of what their instruments can do. Anyone and everyone can take a solo - potential good news for me, as a forever-adoring fan of the music of Eric Clapton.

Image: Enjoying the second half

As the show resumes I move from the kitchen to the living room, opting to listen via my TV set rather than the HiFi tonight. Witold Lutosławski's Concerto for Orchestra opens in epic style. Intensely suspenseful. Really like this! Yes, it's exciting, it makes your heart pace that little bit faster. It settles down with chronic chimes and sporadic flourishes from various woodwind instruments (at least that's what it sounds like). I chill out and let my mind wander.